Review: WHAT IF? PART 7 Reimagines Musical Theater at 54 Below

What If? Part 7 brought its latest collection of musical theater mashups to the stage on July 27, 2026, created and music directed by Jorden Amir and co-produced by Angelina Amato and Cooper LaMontagne. The seventh installment of the series once again asked audiences to imagine what would happen if characters from completely different musicals were given songs they would never normally sing. The evening also served as a fundraiser for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting BC/EFA. 

The concept of What If? is simple but endlessly entertaining: take a beloved musical theater character, give them a song from another show, and see what happens. The format allows performers to approach songs audiences already know from an entirely new perspective while creating combinations that would never exist in the original productions. With characters ranging from Mean Girls and Rent to Percy Jackson, The Great Gatsby, Frozen and beyond, the evening constantly kept the audience guessing about what song would come next.

The cast featured Bella Aboulhosn, Miki Abraham, Faith Alhadeff, Angelina Amato, Bryson Battle, Savannah Lee Birdsong, Connor DeRoche, Carissa Gaughran, Callie Henrysen, Sarah Isola, Jules Kessler, Cooper LaMontagne, Weston Chandler Long, Jonathan Masse, Michael Moretti, Ava Newman, Mason Olshavsky, Samia Posadas, Skyler Reed Lipkind, Cole Thompson, and Zalah Vallien. Together, the performers brought a wide range of characters and musical styles into the same universe, making each new combination feel like its own little alternate reality.

Mason Olshavsky as Percy Jackson and Carissa Gaughran as Annabeth Chase created one of the evening's most unexpected pairings with "Superboy and the Invisible Girl" from Next to Normal. The duet gave both performers an opportunity to explore a much more emotionally vulnerable side of their characters, and they embraced that challenge. Olshavsky brought a strong, earnest vocal to the number, while Gaughran matched him with an equally expressive performance. Their voices blended beautifully, making the unlikely pairing feel surprisingly natural.

Samia Posadas took on Ariel with "Better or Worse" from The Great Gatsby, bringing a completely different energy to the character than audiences might expect from the Disney princess. Posadas leaned into the emotional complexity of the song while maintaining the vocal control needed to make the performance work. Her interpretation allowed Ariel to feel less like the bubbly character audiences know and more like someone grappling with complicated emotions, making the unexpected song choice particularly effective.

Skyler Reed Lipkind as Kristoff and Ava Newman as Anna brought plenty of charm to "You've Got a Friend in Me" from Toy Story. The pairing was immediately fun, playing into the established friendship and affection between the two Frozen characters while placing them in a completely different musical world. Lipkind and Newman had an easy chemistry that made the number feel playful and genuine, with both performers fully committing to the lighter side of the song.

Weston Chandler Long as Seymour and Savannah Lee Birdsong as Audrey delivered another standout pairing with "American Express" from Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York. The number gave the Little Shop of Horrors characters an opportunity to step into a more modern and comedic world, and both performers completely embraced it. Long brought plenty of personality to Seymour, while Birdsong matched him with a bright and engaging performance. Their chemistry and comedic timing made the number one of the evening's most entertaining surprises.

What If? Part 7 once again proved how much fun musical theater can be when performers are given the freedom to step outside the roles and songs audiences already associate with them. The unexpected combinations allowed familiar characters to take on new dimensions while giving the performers a chance to show off different sides of their artistry. With its mix of comedy, emotional performances, and plenty of musical theater surprises, the evening was a fitting continuation of a series that continues to find new ways to answer one simple question: What if?

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This show was co-produced by Angelina Amato and Cooper LaMontagne. Follow them on Instagram here and here.

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